The NFL's free-agency period begins tomorrow, and the Raiders' Tim Brown won't indicate whether he will join the myriad players who can begin looking for new jobs.

"I'm not ready to say anything right now," Brown said yesterday when reached by telephone at his home in Texas. "Everybody will know soon enough what's happening, but right now I'm not going to say anything."

Brown can void his contract and become a free agent tomorrow, but he gave no indication which way he was leaning. Asked if he had made up his mind and was just delaying announcing his decision, Brown declined further comment. "That's all I'm going to say right now," he said.

In a series of broadsides through the airwaves two weeks ago, Brown made it pretty clear he wasn't 100 percent happy with the way the Raiders' organization, particularly owner Al Davis, had treated him. Whether that was a genuine feeling or he was drawing a negotiation line in the sand is anybody's guess. But Brown left no doubt the Raiders would have some talking to do to persuade him to return.

The Pro Bowl receiver, who just completed his 12th season with the Raiders, also expressed some dismay at the team's offseason moves, and whether the Raiders were serious about winning.

Brown's departure would leave the Raiders with a large hole at wide receiver. His 90 receptions were nearly twice as many as all the other wide receivers combined.

James Jett and Rodney Williams are the only other receivers under contract for next season. Jett is a speedy deep threat who made some impressive receptions last year. But he is not the every-down threat that Brown is, and his smallish frame (5-foot-10, 170 pounds) makes him an unlikely candidate. Williams had a fine training camp and still has some potential, but he disappointed in his brief 1999 appearances.

Terry Mickens, who was the third receiver last year, can become an unrestricted free agent tomorrow. He made some important catches, but also had some major mistakes. Horace Copeland, also an unrestricted free agent, was inactive for all 16 games.